Enugu, Nigeria: Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has again called for the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, insisting that the prolonged detention should be resolved via political dialogue, rather than relying solely on legal processes.
The new statement comes in the wake of Mbah’s recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a move he made public in a state-wide broadcast on October 14, 2025.
Governor Mbah emphasized that his advocacy for Kanu’s release has been consistent since he assumed office. He revealed that within a week of taking office, he met with President Tinubu and raised the issue of Kanu’s detention.
He described the current moment as an opportunity for the South-East region to unite and present a strong, unified front in lobbying for a political resolution. “I believe strongly that the Nnamdi Kanu problem is going to be solved politically,” he said, urging stakeholders across the region to accept that concept as a starting point.
Mbah acknowledged that the “details of implementation” still need careful design, but stressed that a collective regional strategy should precede engagement with the federal government.
This is not the first time the governor has asserted Kanu’s release as a moral imperative. In August 2025, during a presentation at the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) Annual General Conference in Enugu, Mbah, responding to calls from participants, reiterated that freeing Kanu was “the right thing to do.”
At that event, he also claimed that the controversial Monday sit-at-home protests widely linked to Kanu’s detention had ceased in Enugu State.
According to him, markets such as Ogbete now operate freely on Mondays.
Kanu has been held by the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in Kenya and subsequent extradition to Nigeria in June 2021. He faces a seven-count charge relating to alleged terrorism and other offenses — charges he has consistently denied.
His detention has been the subject of multiple court orders for bail, many of which remain unenforced.
Across Nigeria, civil society, human rights groups, and various political actors have been pushing for his release. On October 13, 2025, activist Omoyele Sowore announced a plan for a protest march to the Presidential Villa (Aso Rock) scheduled for October 20, demanding “immediate and unconditional release” of Kanu.
Mbah’s renewed stance arrives at a politically sensitive moment. His entry into the APC is being hailed by the party as strategic for strengthening governance and alignment with President Tinubu’s agenda.
However, some observers might view the governor’s amplified advocacy on Kanu’s case as an effort to appeal to constituents in the South-East, especially amid ongoing discontent over the perceived marginalization of Igbo voices in national affairs.
Whether Mbah’s push for a political resolution will gain traction at the federal level remains uncertain. For now, his voice adds weight to the chorus urging for the case of the IPOB leader to move beyond courtrooms and into the realm of negotiation.
